Over the Horizon
Over the Horizon is a Raid Event scheduled to start on January 1, 2020 at 7:00 PM (PST) and end on January 7, 2020 at 7:00 PM (PST). It is the ninety first episode of the Dark Stigma story and forty sixth in the Malice Canon storyline. Half-time Reward Calculation Period is at January 3, 2020 from 8:00 PM to 8:59 PM (PST). __TOC__ Feature Changes * (Chaos I) Deathforged Odin as Individual Ranking Reward down to rank 2,300. * Monthly Card discontinued; Tickets replaced by Knowledage Vessels down to rank 1,700. Raid Bosses Skill Cards * Estimable Mind Mímir (LR) Anti-Raid Boss Skill Card, obtained from the Oath of Survival Card Pack * Mummified Tutankhamun (LR) Anti-Hidden Raid Boss Skill Card, obtained from the Oath of Survival Card Pack * Elucidating Valgoth (LR) Anti-Secret Raid Boss Skill Card, obtained from the Oath of Survival Card Pack * Armed Queen Jeralice (LR) Special Evolution Card, Skill works against all Raid Bosses of the event, obtained from the Master of Fate Card Pack. All stages of the card are bound until the event rewards are distributed. Reward Cards * Shadow Racer Arizam (Forest PWR 36 LR) * Light Racer Seradel (Water PWR 30 Defense LR) * Spireguard Ushumgal (Fire PWR 28 LR) Prologue A pure white figure ascended into the blue skies with grace uncommon for a creature of similar scale. The outstretched wings were as taut silk in the wind and the body glistened from the morning sunlight reflected from the bay. "Look, that's the ivory dragon of Tadira!" "Yeah, she's Zeokis all right! That holy air of hers is just like the legends say! And Queen Seladel must be the one riding her. I still can't believe she threw her hat into the ring." The crowd below thrummed with excitement, a natural reaction to witnessing Zeokis. Such chances were few and far between in her own homeland much less abroad. The dragon usually remained in the deepest part of Tadira's grand temple, but now her glory could be seen by all. Even other dragons instinctively knew how special she was, including the small youth kept at the rear of an inn. His large eyes enraptured by the size and majesty of kindred far greater than himself, he chirped and flapped his humble wings with innocent joy. "Settle down, will ya, Malto? I gotta take your collar off." The innkeeper held the dragon's head firm as he unchained him then turned to face you with an incredulous look. "Are you absolutely sure you want to borrow him? I honestly can't say he'll be of any use to you because he barely listens to me. He can't keep his focus, gets spooked easily, and only barely carries enough to earn his keep. I've come this close to getting rid of him more than once." You did not respond but instead watched Salvador as he assessed the dragon's condition. The innkeeper continued, pressing for an answer. "I'll loan him out for a piece of silver, but don't expect a refund. Besides, you'd have to be touched in the head to want to compete in the Draco Cup with Tadira's dragon finally entering." His words were rude but undeniable; the circumstances left you with no other choice. Today was the deadline for entering the world's biggest dragon race, the Draco Cup, but you had not decided to enter until the night before. As a result, all of the race-bred dragons were already sold off, leaving you with only an immature, untrained one at a nearby inn. Regardless, there was an urgent reason to enter even with a barely worthy mount. Besides the title, the winner of the Draco Cup would attain ownership of all of the dragons that participated in it, enough to furnish an army. That tantalizing prize drew thousands of brave riders every year. However, entries had been on the decline as of late. The empress of Garek dominated every race until she announced her semi-retirement a couple of years ago. The statement she was bored with the comparatively tepid level of competition further harmed the race's reputation. Salvador said the Draco Cup was once seen as opportunity for anyone with a wing and a dream to win big. Unfortunately, the tepid performances and rising costs only amplified the voices calling for its cancellation. That was until the holy country of Tadira announced its participation this year, entering their treasured dragon Zeokis. This meant should anyone claim victory, they would claim her as well. It was all the motivation needed to bring the amount of entries to record numbers. Even Garek was coaxed to return. Tadira was known from ancient times for its deeply religious rule. All of its citizens were raised to join the clergy, and the land itself was rich in divine power. The current ruler Seladel also wielded immense mystical strength. However, their peaceful nature meant they abhorred the tumultuous Draco Cup, but it was just as well. It was long believed their ivory dragon Zeokis could dominate the race like no other. Everyone dreamed of owning the legendary beast, and the empire was no different. Learning the Lightholders had entered was the main impetus for you to also join. If all the dragons in the race -- especially those from Tadira and Garek -- fell into the empire's control, it would be disastrous for your cause. Even if someone else won, it was very likely both dragons being owned by one party would incite new conflict. Therefore, you were determined to mitigate the situation yourself. Salvador looked at your grim face and gave a chuckle. "Hey, the situation's not that bad. Our little friend here might be small, but look at these legs. Nice and flexible. They'll help him slip through gaps the bigger ones can't. No tellin' if we can get his jitters under control to take advantage of it though." Malto tugged on your sleeve with his mouth, soaking it with saliva. Perhaps it was a sign he took a liking to you, but it was not a pleasant sensation. Then, in the next moment, he quickly wriggled beneath your legs and squealed with fright. It brought your attention to an ominous air wafting around you. Looking over the town revealed it had been covered in a massive shadow that extinguished the brilliance Zeokis brought. "Oh, look up there. That's Satanis from Garek. He might be a dragon, but he's meaner and scarier than any demon. You can practically see some kind of foul smog trailing off his wings. And riding him is Empress Arizam. It's not the first time I've laid eyes on them but they still give me chills." The innkeeper glared at the black dragon as it soared above. "There's a rumor the reason Tadira entered was to figure out who kidnapped the young dragons they were raising. People are saying it was Garek's doing but no one has any evidence." He then lowered his voice as if sharing confidential information. "And, just between you and me, I think Arizam entered to settle an old score with Seladel. With that in mind along with how badly she wants Zeokis, I wouldn't be surprised if she had a few tricks up her sleeve." The shadow around you continued to darken. Then, with a powerful beating of his wings, Satanis loosed another cloud of miasma and rose into the sky. The murk was oppressive enough from a distance, so riding through it seemed nearly impossible. Nevertheless, Arizam did not appear fazed by it at all, demonstrating the might that earned her championship streak. The empress and her tamed monster faded into the distance. The next time seeing her would be at the starting line of the race. With any luck, you would reach the finish first -- the space between the twin peaks of a towering mountain known as Horizon's End. Epilogue With a mighty effort by you and your puckish mount Malto, you caught up to Zeokis and told her rider, Queen Seladel, about what you had seen. The young dragons that were stolen from her homeland were not in the possession of Garek, but the Lightholders as part of an imperial plot. You had spotted the pups along the banks of the river in the valley, tied to stakes and surrounded by lookouts. That was due to Malto's curiosity, otherwise you never would have drawn your attention away from the race. "Do you swear what you have told me was the absolute truth?" Before you could give her affirmation, another voice did. "I can vouch for him, Seladel. Your dragons are definitely being held there." Arizam, empress of Garek and holder of the longest streak in the history of the Draco Cup, had approached the two of you, offering her guarantee. "When I watched that kid take a sudden dive, I saw a bunch of Lightholders keeping watch over the dragons they stole from you. Whatever foul play is going on, they're involved without a doubt. You didn't think I had anything to do with it, did you?" It was rumored that both Zeokis' and Satanis' entries into the race were to settle a long-standing grudge between the two nations. However, the attitudes towards each other were not particularly hostile. They instead seemed to have a bond of a more positive nature. "No, Arizam, I never once suspected you. I know you prefer to win in fair and open competitions. Triumph earned through underhanded means would not give you the thrill an incontestable victory would." "Heh, you can see right through me. But if you thought from the start the empire was responsible, why bother with the race?" "They have long committed similarly unforgivable acts, but I could not accuse them publicly without reason until now. This race seemed like a suitable opportunity to expose their wrongdoing and prove their unjust actions. You seem to have the same idea, Arizam." "More or less. They've been trying to get their hands on Satanis for far too long, so I thought it was about time to teach them a lesson." Arizam and Seladel appeared to be rivals at first glance, but they had more in common than you realized. Besides both owning famed dragons, they also knew the importance of diplomacy and cooperation when the need arose. "Then there is only one thing left to do, Empress of Garek." "Understood, Queen of Tadira. Let's bring this race to a close." Their gazes then fell upon you, smiles wide with trust and expectation. Arizam then addressed you warmly. "And here I thought you were just a wild card. I should've expected you would show up when those imperial dogs entered. Well, let's just see how much they like it when they get beat by a murderer, Hero!" ...... Moments later, Malto pulled away from the ivory and ebony dragons. The trailing Lightholders, noting immediately they had a clear shot, reached for their arrows. But before they could fire a single one, the hulking figures of Zeokis and Satanis obstructed their view. Malto had distracted the imperial soldiers so Seladel and Arizam could move into a defensive position. This then allowed Malto to safely accelerate until you were out of range. A few minutes later, the two of you closed in on the goal point between the twin peaks of Horizon's End. The following day, you were presented with the ownership rights of all the dragons entered in the Draco Cup including those belonging to Seladel and Arizam. Naturally, you declined the reward and returned each of them back to their owners. This prompted another announcement before the sun set. "From this moment forth, the nations of Tadira and Garek pledge to cooperate with the anti-imperial efforts. Moreover, when the final confrontation begins, both our national treasures of ivory and ebony shall join the Hero's side." Chapters/Quests Raid Bosses Rewards Daily Ranking Half-Time Final Rankings Raid Boss Repels Guild Ranking Guild Repels Category:Raid Events Category:Over the Horizon Category:Malice Canon